Bikers In Custody After 3 Union City Police Officers Struck By Motorcycles

UNION CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Two bikers are in custody after three Union City police officers were injured when they were hit by motorcycles while responding to a fatal crash involving a teenager and a garbage truck.

Friends confirmed to CBS2’s Magdalena Doris the boy’s name was Sean Lemus. He was a student at Union City High School.

“The garbage truck was trying to turn,” said Karen Rodriguez, who witnessed the collision. “While he was trying to turn, I believe the child didn’t have time in order to brake, so he just basically went down in the bottom of the truck. So then when they realized that the child was underneath, it was too late already.”

A crowd gathered, and as the officers responded, two motorcycles barreled through the crime scene, striking the investigators, witnesses said.

“They just completely rushed through, and it was insane because I think they were trying to take this person’s body out of this garbage truck, and then this happened,” said witness Christian Ugaz. “It was just so crazy to watch as it happened.”

“One of them stopped at the light because he saw them,” Rodriguez said. “The other one didn’t have time to stop, so he just ran over them. It was crazy. It was like a movie. They all came flying up. Literally, three cops just came flying up, and they just landed on the floor.”

One motorcyclist was injured when he was thrown off the bike, and was hospitalized. His motorcycle slid under the garbage truck. Police said the other sped away from the scene but was later taken into custody.

“It came out unexpectedly and just crashed into the police officers at the scene,” said witness Angel Solorzano. “I saw at least three people on the floor.”